The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-04-22
LITTLE JACOPO:
Or the Beautiful Child Of the New
Year.

In the autumn Of 1890 was spend.
ing few weeks AT the Hotel ChristoI IN
Bya.ogne-sur-Mcr. which Is but short
distance BY rail from Calais. This sea-
side resort Is favorite place for both
French and English invaIids. because
the air is generally fresh and well
charged with that indescribablc but
perfectly well understood invigorating
element called ozone. The town is
well sheltered from atmospheric vio-
lence. for on one side the tall cliffs Of
Boulognc frown down upon the waters
OF the English Channel that chafe and
thrash and thunder at their feet con-
tinually; on the other side she is
equally well sheltered by the old town
Of Bculogne. called affectionatcly bv
every Boulogncse the s.Haute Vile.
because it is the high town. as COM
pared with the bathing place--thc Bias
ville-which. five hundred feet be-
meath. has within a comparatively few
number Of years stretched itself along
the sides Of the sluggish and dirty
stream which is digniiied by the title
OF the River Lame. and runs through
the center Of Boulognc until il escapes
into the English Channel through
an opening in the white cliffs.
There Is very little In the Bas
Vile that is Of interest to n visitor
except the Establishment de Mer. 4
large building AMI garden at the
northern end Of The town which are
sacred to the pleasures Of the elite.
There they dance. promenade. fiirt.
play billiards, battle, or spend hours in
the luxurious reading room, pcrusiny
the journals 81 all parts Of the civilized
world. Boulogne contains hundreds
Of English gentlemen who have fosnd
II mighty convenient to quit their
native soil. and these generally find
themselves forced 10 take to gambling
for bare living. or to the depths Of
the Lame when bad luck has utterly
broken them down.
1t 80 happened that At the period Of
my visit to Boulognc the weather was |
almost continually bad. The rain fell.
the chill and damp winds swept dis
agreeable through the streets. and
every body seemed to be on the verge
OF dying Of ennui. !, with others. was
one day hattening my nose against the
hotel window panes Of the general re-
cepsion room. watching the shipping
on the Lame or the blue-bloused
.ouvricrs as they clattcred in their
saoots through the splashing streets.
Suddenly the clouds broke up and the
sun shonc brilliantly. Shortly after /
wards crowd Of men and women ap-
preached the hotel across the Lianc's |
swinging bridge. They were evidently
N state Of excitement, and the OBJ
Jet o. their excitement seemed to be
10 their midst for the women. men
and children ceased their chattcring
every lew moments TO cast their eyes
down Or to point their finger 1T some
'n'ng or somebody that was moving
along IN the center. The procession
% enthusiasts moved on until they
came 20 the quay. Then they turned
!, !, ahe left and disappeared in the
naiie des Poissons. All I could OBJ
serve in the midst Of this picturesque
crowd was . little boy. probably ten |
Years q age, who walked with his ewes I
nxed steadily before him as IL he were I
totally unconscious Of any thing |
!. going on around him. His 1
'ace' which was very regular. pale |
anu beautiful. struck me as being |
. !. unearthly-as II il were
ungcd by some influence from Heaven
y tnat mysterious Other Land which I
- man can describe. although regard
w y nc may have thousand fantas tic | 4
anu unstable fancics. IL
Whata singular-looking chiIdr' I x- | /
claimed 70 French gentleman stand | '
w next 70 me At the window. sThe | \
POOR boy y evidently insane" II
PARDON me, monsieur NV com Il
Pan'on replied; s'thc child Il not in
: .anc- This y little Jacopo. s fls d. | !
nv, N g Tan,' who 4 positively adored !
Y W. poorer cIasses in this part Of the \
!, The child q the New Year, | ex- ]
''a''neu' sranslating my friends re- .